Collection Contents

Series 1.
Personal,
1965-1995

Physical Description:
44 folders

Scope and Content Note

This series contains Williams' personal materials including her passport, weekly calendars and address books, and extensive
personal correspondence with friends. It also includes a proposed outline of an biography on Frances Williams which was published
in 1999 under the title,
Meet it, Greet it, and Defeat it: The biography of Frances E. Williams. The section on Arts and Culture includes assorted flyers, mailings, and invitations from various organizations and local
art galleries such as the Brockman Gallery in Leimert Park. The materials on Surinam detail Williams' initial visit in 1981
and the theater tour she led in 1982. There is also an extensive amount of handwritten notes (some illegible) placed in the
original order it was collected. The photos are mostly of her friends, many of whom include other famous African-American
figures like Paul Robeson, Beah Richards, Sydney Poitier, Marilyn McCoo, and Billy Davis. The 30-minute video is a talk Frances
Williams gave at the William Grant Still Gallery in 1982 as part of the "History of Blacks in Film" series. It is a personal
and candid talk on Williams' fight against discrimination as a black actress in Hollywood.

This series contains materials directly relating to Williams' acting career in Hollywood during the late 1970s and 1980s,
including her most well-known role in the sitcom
Frank's Place. It also includes materials documenting Williams' membership in several professional organizations, the Actors' Equity Association
being one of which she helped to establish and served on as a board member for 20 years. The section on the Frances E. Williams
Corner Theater documents her extraordinary vision and efforts to form a community of actors and writers to come together and
nurture their talents. It includes flyers, programs, and newspaper clippings of plays performed at the Corner Theater. The
series includes over twenty play scripts (some of which were performed at the Corner Theater) submitted to Williams for her
review. Williams' comments on the play scripts are also included.

Los Angeles Playwrights.
Coming Home to the NAACP and Black Theatre, [1989]

Box-folder 8/1

McGhee-Anderson, Kathleen.
Memphis September: A Play in Two Acts, 1986

Box-folder 8/2

McGhee-Anderson, Kathleen.
Oak and Ivy, 1985

Box-folder 8/3

Moreland, J.B.
To Woodrow Wilson: A Stage Play, n.d.

Box-folder 8/4

Prince, Paul.
The Mark of a Man, n.d.

Box-folder 8/5

Rosenthal, Mark I. and Edgar Stroke.
Brer Rabbit: Estimate, 1988

Box-folder 8/6

Sain, L.C.
What Is to Be Done? 1985

Box-folder 8/7

S.n.
Over Fried Chicken, n.d.

Box-folder 8/8

Wadsworth, Pat.
Child Development as Applied at Nursery School, n.d.

Box-folder 8/9

Zweibel, Alan.
The Boys: Gene's Problem, 1989

Box-folder 9/1

Partial play scripts,
n.d.

Box-folder 9/2

Speeches,
n.d.

Series 3.
Community activities,
1979-1992

Physical Description:
14 folders

Scope and Content Note

This series document Williams' activism as a community organizer in various issues concerning the Los Angeles community, especially
in the area of arts education and school desegregation. The series contains mailings, meeting notes, and proposals relating
to the activities of the Arts Advisory Board, LA African American Arts Council, and the California Arts Council. It also documents
Williams' involvement in public works efforts to improve the local neighborhood in areas of sanitation, road safety, and childcare.

Box-folder 9/3-9/5

Arts Advisory Board

Box-folder 9/3

Correspondence,
1990

Box-folder 9/4

Meeting notes,
1990

Box-folder 9/5

Los Angeles Cultural Master Plan,
1990

Box-folder 9/6

Los Angeles African American Arts Council,
1990

Box-folder 9/7

California Arts Council, 1988,
n.d.

Box-folder 9/8-9/9

Education in Los Angeles

Box-folder 9/8

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. scholarship,
1990-1991

Box-folder 9/9

Flyers, brochures,
n.d.

Box-folder 9/10

Childcare legislation,
1980

Box-folder 9/11

Los Angeles bicentennial celebration,
1979, 1981

Box-folder 9/12

Committee to save Sunset Hall,
1990

Box-folder 9/13-9/16 1981-1982, n.d.

Public works

Box-folder 9/13

Neighborhood watch signs,
n.d.

Box-folder 9/14

Ordinance on Public Works Improvement,
n.d.

Box-folder 9/15

Yard sanitation complaint,
1981-1982

Box-folder 9/16

Miscellaneous,
1979-1981, 1990, 1992, n.d.

Series 4.
Religious activities,
1978-1982

Physical Description:
7 folders

Scope and Content Note

This is a small collection of materials relating to Williams' involvement in various religious organizations and churches
in the greater Los Angeles area. The most extensive material is from the Diocese of Los Angeles, which includes copies of
the nomination forms for the 1981 election of church officials.

Box-folder 9/17-9/19

The Church in the Diocese of Los Angeles

Box-folder 9/17

General,
1980-81

Box-folder 9/18

Nominations for elected officials,
1979, 1981

Box-folder 9/19

Newsletter,
1981

Box-folder 9/20

The Union of Black Episcopalians,
1980-1981

Box-folder 9/21

Christ the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church,
1981, 1988-1989, n.d.

Box-folder 9/22

Miscellaneous,
1978, 1980, 1988, n.d.

Box-folder 9/23

Publications,
1981-1982

Series 5.
Paul Robeson,
1976-1991

Physical Description:
7 folders

Scope and Content Note

As a personal friend and supporter of the famous actor and activist Paul Robeson, Williams was actively involved in establishing
the Paul Robeson Community Center that was devoted to serving the ethnic community of South Los Angles. The materials relate
to organizing events and rallies in fighting against discrimination, oppression, and imperialism in conjunction with the Paul
Robeson Community Center. The series also includes original or copies of nomination forms for the Paul Robeson Citation Award
and selected entries of the Paul Robeson 21st Century World Citizen Essay Contest. The clippings relate to the work and events
of the Paul Robeson Community Center.

Box-folder 10/1

General,
1976, 1979, 1982, n.d.

Box-folder 10/2

Paul Robeson Community Center,
1986, 1988, 1994, n.d.

Box-folder 10/3

Paul Robeson Archives, Inc.,
1976, 1979, n.d.

Box-folder 10/4

Tribute to Paul Robeson,
1991

Box-folder 10/5

Paul Robeson Citation Award nominations,
1979, 1981, n.d.

Box-folder 10/6

Paul Robeson 21st Century World Citizen Contest, entries,
1991

Box-folder 10/7

Clippings, news releases,
1976-1977, 1991, n.d.

Series 6.
William (Bill) Taylor,
[1975-1980

Physical Description:
8 folders

Scope and Content Note

This series documents Williams' involvement in the Tribute to Bill Taylor Committee as its chairperson. The committee was
committed to raising fund for Bill Taylor, an active union leader and a chairperson of the Communist Party USA. The series
includes mailings, invitations, and programs of events held in tribute to Bill Taylor. It also includes names and addresses
of supporters of Bill Taylor.

Box-folder 10/8

Correspondence,
1975

Box-folder 10/9

Sponsors and patrons,
n.d.

Box-folder 10/10

Receipt book,
1975

Box-folder 10/11-10/13

Tribute to Bill Taylor, event

Box-folder 10/11

Committee name list,
n.d.

Box-folder 10/12

Invitations, program,
1975, n.d.

Box-folder 10/13

Program notes,
n.d.

Box-folder 10/14

William C. Taylor Memorial committee,
1980

Box-folder 10/15

Clippings,
1980

Series 7.
The William L. Patterson Foundation,
1976-1989

Physical Description:
3 folders

Scope and Content Note

This is a small collection of materials on Williams' involvement in the William L. Patterson Foundation as a personal friend
of William and Louise Patterson and as a board member. The series consist mostly of correspondence relating to the activities
of the foundation.

Box-folder 10/16

General,
1977, 1980, n.d.

Box-folder 10/17

Correspondence,
1976-1977, 1979-1980, n.d.

Box-folder 10/18

Louise Patterson,
1989, n.d.

Series 8.
Political activism,
1955-1990

Physical Description:
19 folders

Scope and Content Note

This series is divided according to the different political organizations that Williams was involved in, including her participation
in the Women's Congress in 1980, correspondence in regards to upcoming activities sponsored by WREE and the World Peace Council,
and support of the various labor unions active in the Los Angeles area. It also includes materials (clippings, flyers, mailings)
relating to the Wilmington Ten Case, which was a well-known civil rights case of the time. The assorted flyers, mailings,
and invitations primarily consist of announcements of political rallies, protests, and updates of events. The publication
section includes informational pamphlets on various issues like nuclear arms, Zionism and racism, and the Black Panther movement.

This series well documents Williams' involvement in the South African anti-apartheid movement, especially as it pertains to
activities taking place in Los Angeles. The materials document great efforts made to prevent the building of the South African
Consulate in Century City/Los Angeles through petitions, rallies, and meetings. As the chairperson of NAIMSAL, Los Angeles
Office, Williams was in close correspondence with the American Committee on Africa and the Washington Office on Africa, uniting
their efforts to fight against apartheid in South Africa and elsewhere in Africa. Although Williams' attendance at the international
conferences cannot be determined, the section on Conferences includes comprehensive reports from the listed conferences. Materials
suggest that Williams was peripherally involved in efforts to fight for equality in sports and humanitarian aid for African
children. The flyers, mailings, and publications primarily consist of announcements of events, rallies, and protests in support
of the anti-apartheid movements taking place in area. The bulk of the newspaper clippings from the late 1970s are on Angola's
fight for independence and the clippings from 1980s are mostly on anti-apartheid protests, South Africa, and Nelson Mandela.

Box-folder 11/5

Mailings,
1976-1981

Box-folder 11/6

Handwritten notes,
n.d.

Box-folder 11/7

Membership list,
n.d.

Box-folder 11/8

Speech transcripts,
1978, 1980

Box-folder 11/9-11/12

South African Consulate, Los Angeles

Box-folder 11/9

Correspondence, petitions,
1980

Box-folder 11/10

Ad Hoc Committee on South African Consulate,
1980

Box-folder 11/11

Declaration against the South African Embassy,
n.d.

Box-folder 11/12

Statement to Mayor Tom Bradley,
June 16, 1980

Box-folder 11/13

City of Los Angeles on South Africa,
1980-1981

Box-folder 11/14

Los Angeles African Sister Cities Affiliation,
n.d.

Box-folder 11/15

Art against Apartheid Los Angeles,
n.d.

Box-folder 11/16

American Committee on Africa,
1978-1980, n.d.

Box-folder 11/17

Washington Office on Africa,
1977-1981, 1986, n.d.

Box-folder 11/18-11/22

National Anti-Imperialist Movement in Solidarity with African Liberation (NAIMSAL)

Box-folder 11/18

Information sheets,
n.d.

Box-folder 11/19

Minutes,
June 3, 1980

Box-folder 11/20

Financial statements, receipts,
1979-1980

Box-folder 11/21

Mailings,
1979, 1981, n.d.

Box-folder 11/22

Newsletters,
1980

Box-folder 12/1-12/4

Conferences

Box-folder 12/1

World Conference Against Apartheid, Racism, and Colonialism in Southern Africa,
June 16-19, 1977

Box-folder 12/2

Conference of Solidarity with the Struggle of the African and Arab Peoples,
Sept. 14-17, 1978

Box-folder 12/3

The International Conference in Support of the Liberation Movements in Southern Africa,
April 10-12, 1979

Box-folder 12/4

Conference in Solidarity with the Liberation Struggles of the Peoples of Southern Africa,
Oct. 9-11, 1981

Box-folder 12/5

The American Coordinating Committee for Equality in Sport and Society (ACCESS),
1976-1981, n.d.

Box-folder 12/6

Feed the Children, South Africa,
1979

Box-folder 12/7

Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA),
n.d.

Box-folder 12/8

Assorted notes,
n.d.

Box-folder 12/9

Flyers, mailings,
1979-1980, n.d.

Box-folder 12/10

Publications,
1975, 1978-1981, 1987-1989, n.d.

Box-folder 12/11

Clippings,
1975-1978, 1980, 1985-1986, n.d.

Series 10.
Communist solidarity activism,
1974-1990

Physical Description:
9 folders

Scope and Content Note

This series documents Williams' involvement in various communist solidarity efforts. Williams received mailings from the CPUSA
and collected informational brochures and reports generated by the Party. The series include seven full articles from Radio
Moscow transcribed and mailed from Russia.

Box-folder 13/1-13/5

Communist Party, USA

Box-folder 13/1

Mailings,
1977, 1979, 1984, 1988, n.d.

Box-folder 13/2

Report to the 22nd Convention, CPUSA,
n.d.

Box-folder 13/3

Report on the 1977 People's World Circulation Drive,
n.d.

Box-folder 13/4

Miscellaneous,
1990, n.d.

Box-folder 13/5

Publications,
1979, 1985

Box-folder 13/6

Society for Cultural Relations, USA-USSR,
1981, 1986, n.d.

Box-folder 13/7

Radio Moscow, articles,
1985

Box-folder 13/8

Publications,
1974-1975, 1978-1979, n.d.

Box-folder 13/9

Clippings,
1976-1978, n.d.

Series 11.
Clippings,
1975-1987

Physical Description:
1 folder

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of newspaper and magazine clippings that Williams collected over the years. The topics range from recipes
to travel advertisements, to personality features of other actors and actresses.